Friday, February 28, 2014

Missouri House Passes Racist Voter Suppression Bill

"I find it ironic that Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina all part of the Confederacy, and these are the same states that proposing photo ID laws," said State Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City.

The comments came amid heated debate over Missouri bill HB 1073 that would enact voter ID requirements in state elections. The Missouri House also passed HJR 47, authorizing a constitutional amendment requiring voter ID to be placed on an upcoming ballot.

As any thinking person knows, Voter ID laws are about the voter suppression of black and women voters because neither have the mental faculties or economic capabilities to get a state issued ID like a drivers license. Just ask Rep. Chris Kelly.

“Jim Crow is alive in this room today. This is the single most immoral act that I’ve ever seen happen in my time in the General Assembly.”

"I have a serious problem that this does not protect women from unequal treatment, if some get it for $5 and some get it for $200," said Boone County Clerk Wendy Noren, referring to women who must get new IDs after they get married or divorced and have their names changed.

Missouri has to be one of the most racist and sexist states in the nation.

In addition to trying to implement voter suppression laws, they have previously succeeded in passing Healthcare Suppression, by requiring people who purchase effective over-the-counter cough medicines to supply photo identification.

Missouri also practices Travel Suppression by requiring people to show photo identification before boarding airplanes. They even require people to have state issued photo identification on them when simply driving to work or school. One might call this practice Work Suppression since it makes it difficult for blacks and women to get to their place of employment. And Republicans have the audacity to wonder why so many are on welfare.

The state also practices Banking Suppression, by requiring photo identification in many financial transactions like opening a bank account, writing or cashing a check, or using a credit card.

Even worse, the despicable state of Missouri has the gall to conduct Contract Suppression by requiring photo identification when using a Notary of the Public's services to validate legally binding contracts. How are blacks and women supposed to buy a home, start a business, get a loan, or sign a marriage license?

Missourians should be embarrassed and ashamed to call themselves the 'Show Me' state.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

"I find it ironic that Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina all part of the Confederacy, and these are the same states that proposing photo ID laws," said State Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City.

This is funny because Rep. Ellington is trying to be cute, but his use of the word ironic is out of place. He obviously is trying to suggest to anyone with a sense of American history that the former Confederate states are the ones trying to suppress black votes. Well there is no irony in that because as anyone from Rep. Ellington's point of view already knows, those descendants of the Southern, slave-holding Confederacy are racists. So wouldn't we expect them to enact laws to harm blacks?

It's not irony if it fits your preconceived notions to begin with.

PS. I liked you use of everyday examples of suppression Mr. kansascitian to make your point. We use photo IDs to function in daily society, but some are taken aback when asked to do so in carrying out the most important duty of citizenship. Go figure.